The Association of Black Romance Writers Literary Awards recognize excellence in published black romance novels and novellas. Submissions for the 2021 awards open on December 15, 2021 and will run until December 30, 2021. Winners and nominees will be notified by January 31, 2022.
I'm going to provide you the finalists which should be added to your 2022 Reading Challenge List on Goodreads. I know I have downloaded each one and plan to read them all.
Listed alphabetically:
Blurb: It was supposed to be one night only.
It ended up being the best night of my life.
And everything that happened after that was against company policy.
Link : https://amzn.to/3IsCbdO
Blurb: Artisan soap maker, Windsor Bradley wasn’t looking for romance, but the moment she locked eyes with a handsome stranger in an art gallery, she knew she’d be going home with him… if only for one night.
Author, Damian Anthony couldn’t believe his luck when he found himself dancing with the most intriguing woman in the room. He didn’t know what to expect when he showed up at the art gallery, but he never imagined he’d be leaving with a beautiful woman on his arm. After an incredible night of pleasure, Damian wakes up alone, wondering if it was all just a dream or the beginning of something deeper.
What happens when a one-night stand leads to an intense craving you can’t explain? How do you reconnect with a stranger you only know by their first name? Will Damian and Windsor’s night of passion be a fleeting moment in their lives… or will it lead to a lifetime of love?
Link: https://amzn.to/3AoFJec
BLURB: Symphony Willis wasn't about to let her big sister have all the fun. Placing a call to Melody, she asked what everyone wanted to know, "where did you meet Lakota?"
Following the directions sent via text, Symphony walked into the offices of Perfect Match to start a journey that opened not only a lot of doors, but her heart to understanding what it truly means to be family.
Saddle up as we head West to a family farm in Oklahoma that specializes in Sunflowers and Honey.
Link: https://amzn.to/3rFGR9z
Blurb: In the final year of pharmacy school, all of Tatum’s dreams are about to come true. As a single father, his hard work has finally put him in a position to build a life for his son and move on from his checkered past. In a chance encounter, he meets Autumn, a charismatic, yet eccentric artist on the rebound of life. The two form a friendship in pursuit of their respective dreams that erupts into an all-consuming love. Yet as Tatum begins to embrace his future, he discovers you can’t outrun your past.
Link: https://amzn.to/33EPVUe
Blurb: Siyanna Cassidy was overjoyed to find that she was pregnant only one month behind her twin sister, Summer. The two had done life together on so many levels, including marrying twin brothers. However, in a brutal twist of tragic events, Siyanna is forced into early labor on the heels of the shocking loss of her sister. As if she hadn’t been heartbroken enough, the shooting death of her husband follows swiftly. Suddenly a single mother and widow, she partners with her brother-in-law to raise their children. However, even the silver lining challenges her heart.
Drue Hendrix is a Black Romance Author. His stories of love and strength had his own life as added fuel now that his beautiful wife was having their first child. But when she dies in childbirth his world is flipped upside down. The pain is enough to bring him to his knees. Add in the news of losing his twin brother and life is hardly worth living. Still, for the sake of his newborn, and his brother’s grieving household, he is determined to rise and raise his family. When healing begins to show its colors though, new life tastes like the forbidden.
Link: https://amzn.to/3KFXf2C
In order to be eligible for the ABRW Literary Award for Book of the Year or Novella of the Year, a book must be written by an American citizen of African descent over the age of 18. It must be 201+ pages to qualify for Book of the Year or 100-200 pages to qualify for Novella of the Year. All submissions must fit within the black romance genre, and must have been written and published in the designated year.
Judging criteria include, but are not limited to:
Originality
Ability to Engage the Reader
Cover Art, Interior Illustrations
Layout and Design
Production Quality
Editorial Quality (polish, grammar, etc.)
How Well the Book Fits into the Intended Genre
Novella of the Year Finalists
Listed in alphabetical order by author's last name.